Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner ( 10 ), and in particular a vacuum cleaner ( 10 ) having a rotatable brush ( 24 ). The vacuum cleaner ( 10 ) has a travelling head ( 12 ) adapted to be moved across a surface to be cleaned, the travelling head ( 12 ) having a leading end ( 28 ) and a trailing end. The travelling head ( 12 ) has a rotatable brush ( 24 ), the rotatable brush ( 34 ) being located in a brush chamber ( 23 ) at the leading end of the travelling head ( 12 ), the brush chamber ( 34 ) having an opening ( 26 ) through which a part of the rotatable brush ( 24 ) projects, the opening ( 26 ) and the rotatable brush ( 24 ) spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head ( 12 ). The travelling head ( 12 ) also has an impeller ( 46 ), and a motor ( 34 ) for driving the rotatable brush ( 34 ) and the impeller ( 46 ). The travelling head ( 12 ) has a removable dirt-collection chamber ( 42 ) spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head, and a filter means ( 52 ) located between the dirt-collection chamber ( 42 ) and the impeller ( 46 ), the filter means ( 52 ) also spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vacuum cleaner having a travelling head connected to a handle, the travelling head being adapted to be moved across a surface to be cleaned by way of the handle, the travelling head having a leading end and a trailing end, the travelling head also having:
 a rotatable brush, the rotatable brush being located in a brush chamber at the leading end of the travelling head, the brush chamber having an opening through which a part of the rotatable brush projects, the opening and the rotatable brush spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head; 
 an impeller; 
 a motor for driving the rotatable brush and the impeller; 
 a removable dirt-collection chamber spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head; 
 a filter means located between the dirt-collection chamber and the impeller, the filter means also spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head; 
 and an air flow duct connecting the brush chamber to the dirt-collection chamber, the leading end of the air flow duct being substantially tangential to the rotatable brush, the air flow duct spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head throughout the whole length of the air flow duct. 
 
     
     
       2. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which the top of the air flow duct is defined by an upper wall which projects into the dirt-collection chamber. 
     
     
       3. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  having a ramp adjacent to the rotatable brush, the top of the ramp defining a part of the bottom of the air flow duct. 
     
     
       4. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2  in which the filter means is located above the dirt-collection chamber. 
     
     
       5. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4  in which a part of the filter means is located above the upper wall. 
     
     
       6. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which the removable dirt-collection chamber has a removable lid, the filter means being located within the removable lid. 
     
     
       7. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which the filter means comprises a primary filter member and a secondary filter member, the primary filter member preceding the secondary filter member in the air flow path, the primary filter member and the secondary filter member being washable and interchangeable. 
     
     
       8. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which the dirt-collection chamber has a tunnel within which at least a part of the motor is located. 
     
     
       9. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 8  in which the tunnel separates the dirt-collection chamber into two separate parts. 
     
     
       10. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9  in which each of the separate parts has its own filter means. 
     
     
       11. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which a single motor drives the rotatable brush and the impeller, and in which the motor is located between the impeller and the rotatable brush. 
     
     
       12. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 11  in which the motor has two output shafts, the first output shaft being connected to the impeller, the second output shaft being connected to the rotatable brush. 
     
     
       13. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which the rotatable brush has a first set of bristles and a second set of bristles, the second set of bristles being stiffer than the first set of bristles. 
     
     
       14. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , the handle having a longitudinal axis, the handle being pivotable about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, the longitudinal axis of the handle being substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis, the handle also being swivellable about a swivel axis, the swivel axis being at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis, the handle including locking means which can act to prevent swivelling of the handle. 
     
     
       15. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 14  in which the locking means acts to prevent swivelling of the handle when the handle is in a predetermined pivoted position. 
     
     
       16. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 14  in which the handle carries a projection which can move into a recess, swivelling of the handle being prevented when the projection is located within the recess, and in which the handle has a member which can be located within a detent whereby to define a storage pivoted position for the handle, the member being connected to the projection, and in which the projection is located within the recess when the member is located in the detent. 
     
     
       17. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  which is substantially rectangular in plan view. 
     
     
       18. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  in which a substantial part of the air flow duct is removable with the dirt-collection chamber. 
     
     
       19. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  having a lower wall which defines part of the bottom of the air flow duct, an upper wall which defines a top of the air flow duct, the lower wall projecting into the dirt-collection chamber. 
     
     
       20. A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 19  in which the upper wall and the lower wall are removable with the dirt-collection chamber.